Integrating mechanism



p 21, 1954 A. LATERNSER 2,689,684

' INTEGRATING MECHANISM Filed March 28, 1951 s She ets- Sheet 1 17 4 DOUG 15 m UUDU M 9 42 5/ INVENTOR ATTORNEYS p 1954 A. LATERNSER 2,689,684

' INTEGRATING macnmxsu Filed larch 28, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 //3 I I2 Z? /28 I i g? /40 nun-.-

INVENTOR= ALBIN LATERNSER ATTOR N EYS A. LATERNSER INTEGRATING MECHANISM Sept. 21, 1954 I s Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 28. 1951 NSN Patented Sept. 21, 1954 INTEGRATING MECHANISM Albin Laternser, Horgan, Switzerland, assignor to Landis & Gyr, A. G., Zug, Switzerland, a bodycorporate of Switzerland Application March 28, 1951,v Serial No. 217,970

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to novel and improved integrating thermal meters for measuring the-quantity of heat supplied over a period of time.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claim.

The invention consists inthe novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

' The acompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting .a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment ofthe invention, and. together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Ser. No. 665,359 filed April 27, 1946.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic functional showing of the device of the invention in order to illustrate clearly the operation thereof;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in vertical cross sec tion and partly in elevation of a preferred and illustrative embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a'horizontal cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

.Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The invention relates to mechanical means for measuring the quantity of heat supplied based on the quantityof flow and the heat lost in the system being heated. The quantity of heat is proportional, apart from certain limitations as regard the constancy of specific heat c and specific gravity 7, to the throughput Q of the heat carrier and the difference of temperature At be tween the lines supplying and. removing the heat carrier to and from a consumer.

The following equation holds good where W is the quantity of heat in kcal, T the time, and 1- the time variable. Of the two factors Q and At, the first may be determined by means of a baffle or the corresponding efiective pressure in connection with float gauges, or by means of animpeller, or the like. The second, At, may be determined. for example by means of a differential gear on which act two liquid thermometers.

Multiplication mechanism. of various kinds have been developed for the continuous multiplication of the two factors and the continuous integration of the productsformed. However, the previously known devices are erratic in their operation, are extremely bulky, and do not provide reliable and usable results over a wide range of values to be measured.

The device of the invention provides a novel .and improved integrating thermal meter of the I cascade type which is simple and reliable .in

operation, which is extremely compact in form, and which produces accurate results over a' very broad range of measured values. In accordance with the invention there are provided a plurality of integrating devices, one driven by the other, and both are driven from a source of power which may conveniently be a synchronous or other constant speed motor, each of the integrating devices being controlled by one or more of the quantities measured and so connected that the final shaft of the multiplication mechanism is advanced proportionally to the integrated quantity. A ratchet wheel and pawl are used as integrating gears in each of the integrating devices, the pawl engaging the ratchet wheel periodically only during a space of time proportional to the value to be integrated. Said integrating mechanisms are telescoped so as to provide an extraordinarly compact structure for the device as a whole, and all gearing means are arranged about a common shaft, which serves as the pointer shaft for indicating one of the variables,;

the amount of throughput, inthe embodiedde vice. Each pawl in the ratchet wheel and pawl integrating devices is controlled by means of pair of gap rings, one of which is positioned in accordance with a variable value and the other of which may be conveniently positioned. and set by hand. Indicating means are provided in the multiplication mechanism of the invention forv indicating directly the two variables tobe multiplied, and counting mechanism is provided to register on the one hand the value of product integrated during the time and on the other hand to register the time of integration of at least one of the two variables.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring first to Fig. 1 of the drawings wherein the device is shown diagrammatically and from which the function may be readily understood, there is provided a constant speed motor I having a gear 3 mounted on its shaft 2 to drive the gear 4 which is rotatably journalled in bearing 5 by means of the sleeve 6 fixed to the gear 4. Gear 4 carries on its face rock shaft 8 which is rocked in a clockwise direction by spring 1 acting through arm 9 to urge pawl I towards an interengagement with teeth on ratchet wheel I2, the ratchet being carried by shaft I6 journalled in sleeve and also in bearing I1 so as to drive the totalizing register RI. Pawl I0 may be disengaged from the ratchet I2 by counterclockwise rocking of the shaft 8 which movement is controlled by means of the roller I3 carried at the end of another arm fast to shaft 8. Roller I3 is lifted or dropped by the tension of spring 1 under control of two cam discs I4 and I5, these discs being of equal size and similar shape, and mounted coaxially but capable of relative angular movement. The discs I4 and I5 are each provided with a cutaway portion of reduced diameter extending for 180 and by their relative rotation the overlap of the cutaway portions may vary from zero to 180, thus providing for a wide range of control of the engagement and disengagement of the pawl I0. Cam disc I5 is fixed to sleeve I9 and gear I8 and is journalled in bearing II. Cam disc I4 is fixed to shaft 20 which is anchored in frame 2| and is thereby held against rotation.

Cam disc I5 is rotated so as to move proportionally to differences in pressure, and for this purpose a differential pressure float 25 is provided to raise and lower rack 24 meshing with gear I8. Thus cam disc I5 is rotated in one direction or the other upon changes in pressure of the steam supply for heating and to be measured thereby controlling the magnitude of the angle 0; and determining the portion of time that pawl I0 drives ratchet I2 during each revolution. As cam disc I5 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction the angle 0g is decreased and thereby the extent of the angle through which roller I3 rides on the reduced portion of the cams is diminished,

The uncorrected quantity of heat supplied is thus shown by the register RI as the product of the pressure difference and time.

Gear 22 which is fast on shaft I6 drives gear 21 through the pinions 23 and 25, gear 21 being rotatably mounted by sleeve 50 in bearing 5|. Gear 21 is provided on its face with a similar rock shaft 8, arm 9, spring 1, pawl I0 and roller I3 so that it may drive gear 28 fast to shaft 42 and journalled in sleeve 50 to actuate the register R2 to show the compensated or corrected heat quantity.

The pawl I0 is controlled by cam discs 29 and 30, similar to discs I4 and I5 acting through roller I3. The relative angular position of cam discs 29 and 30 is controlled by the temperature difference between the steam supplied through the supply line and the steam returned through the return line. For this purpose cam disc 29 is held fast against rotation by shaft 40 anchored to frame 4I while cam disc 30 is formed with a sleeve connecting it to gear 3| and journalled in bearing 52. Gear 3| meshes with gear 35 connected to the planet shaft of differential 32, the sun gears of the differential being connected to gears 33 and 34 so they may be actuated in reverse directions by their respective racks 31 which in turn are moved up and down by the heat expansion elements 38. One such expansion element is in the supply line while the other element 38 is in the return line.

The rotation of gear 21 is thus proportional to the uncorrected quantity of heat supplied to the system, while the cams 29 and 30 by their relative displacement vary the time during which the pawl I0 engages ratchet 28, thereby compensating for error which would otherwise be introduced into the registration.

For simplicity the float 25 is not shown in detail but has straight line movement proportional to the square root of the pressure component rotating disc I5 so that its position is proportional to the instantaneous value of the rate of flow and thereby the ratchet wheel I2 is advanced proportionally to the product or uncorrected quantity which is corrected by the thermally actuated elements 38 and results in the registration on register R2 of the total of the corrected quantity of heat corresponding to If quantity of flow is and At equals 100% then the gear wheel 22 is rotated the maximum amount during each revolution of the gear 4 and the ratchet wheel 21 is simultaneously rotated.

If the pressure quantity is zero, or At equals zero or both equal zero, ratchet I2 and gear 22 are not rotated as there is no heat being used, and ratchet 28 and shaft 42 are likewise at rest.

If Q equals 100 and At equals 50 the value of the heat transmitted per hour is 50 and the shaft It has its maximum R. P. M. while the shaft 42 has half its maximum R. P. M. If Q equals 50 and At equals 50 then shaft 42 is driven at onequarter its R. P. M.

Referring now to the compact eificient and highly accurate mechanism which is the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, IN is a synchronous motor which drives uniformly by means of any suitable gear reduction mechanism I02 and a gear I03 a gear I05 which is rigidly connected to a disc I04. The gear I05 and the disc I04 are loosely mounted for free rotation on a hollow shaft I06. The latter is mounted for free rotation on a pointer shaft I01, which in its turn is rotatably mounted in a housing or framework which is not shown. On the pointer shaft I01 a gear I08 is secured for rotation therewith, and said gear is likewise rigidly connected to a disc I09 and may be positioned by means of a gear IIO within a scope of rotation comprising about for example. The disc I08 is formed to allow for the position of the gear I03 with an arcuate aperture III. Rigidly connected to the disc I09 by means of spacing bolts H2 is a first gap ring II3 with which is associated closely adjacent thereto a second gap ring I I4, said latter ring being mounted for rotary movement in the recess of a plate II5 which is rigidly connected to the apparatus housing. The gap ring II4 has on its outer circumference a gear rim in which engages a gear H6, by means of which the gap ring I I4 is adjustable for rotary positioning and setting within a limited range,

Fig. 3 discloses the shape of the gap rings III, I I4 as shown. The radially inner surfaces of said gap rings are not continuous, but exhibit gaps extending for a range of 180. In Fig. 3 the gaps of the gap rings are at the top of the figure while the normal surfaces are below. As the gap ring II3 has relative rotary motion with respect to the gap ring I I4 once the latter has been firmly adjusted, there results on account of the cooperation of the two gap rings I I3, II4, a variable gap, which in Fig. 3 is marked Together with the two gap rings H3, H4 there cooperates a roller I I! which is rotatably mounted on the pawl lever H8, the latter being itself pivotally mounted on the disc I04. Acted on by a coiled spring H9, the roller I I! is always lightly urged against the inner surfaces of the two gap rings H3, H4. As the pawl lever H8 rotates continuously with the disc I04, the inner surfaces of the gap rings H3, H4 are constantly explored. When passing through the gap @9 the pawl lever H8 is rotated a little in the clockwise direction (Fig. 3), causing the pawl I20 of said lever to engage in the finely spaced tooth arrangement of a ratchet wheel I2I rotating the latter also for an angle corresponding to the momentaneous gap whereupon the pawl I20 is disengaged again and the gear I2I stops again immediately. Ratchet wheel I2I is nested within gap ring H3 as shown. To the ratchet wheel I2I, a disc I22 is rigidly connected, and the two together are rigidly mounted on the hollow shaft I516. The disc I22 carries also a pivotally mounted pawl lever I23 with a roller I24 and a pawl I25. The pawl lever I23 is biased by a spring I26. The roller I24 cooperates with a pair of gap rings I21 and I23, the first of which is mounted for rotary motion in the plate I I and adjustable by means of a gear I29, the second being rigidly connected by means of spacing bolts I30 to a disc I32 rigidly connected to a gear I3 I. The gear I3I and with it the disc I32 and the gap ring I28 are rotatably positioned by means of a gear I33. The pawl I25 cooperates with a ratchet wheel I34 which is nested within gap ring I27 and which is loosely mounted on the hollow shaft I06, on the hub I35 of which are likewise rotatably mounted the gear I3I and the disc I32 rigidly connected thereto. The ratchet wheel I34 moves in a manner corresponding to the instantaneous gap (pAt. However this event takes place only when the disc I22 rotates. The movements of the ratchet wheel I34 are transmitted by a gearing means I36 and I3'I to a counting mechanism I38, and the rotation of the hollow shaft I06 by the gearing means I39, I 40 to a counting mechanism I4I. On the pointer shaft I01 a pointer I42 is arranged, and another pointer I43 is connected to the gear I3I, which pointer indicates the movement of said gear. For the sake of simplicity, housings, calibrated scales, etc, have not been represented in the drawings.

When the device described is used as a heat quantity meter, two variable measured values are introduced being the throughput Q introduced through gear H0 and the temperature difference At between the supply and removal line, introduced through gear I33. The gap ring H3 is rotatably displaced by the measured value Q by means of gears I I0 and I08, and the gap ring I23 is similarly displaced in accordance with the measured value At by means of gears I33 and I3I. The gaps and At thereby formed are proportional to the measured values Q and At. The first roller II'I continuously explores the gap and the pawl I20 turns the ratchet wheel I2I through corresponding partial rotation which is transmitted to the roller I24, which in turn explores gap rings I2! and I28 and. results in rotation of ratchet wheel I34. Roller I24 of course only explores said ga rings upon rotation of ratchet wheel I2I. There is accordingly formed a continuous product of the factors m? or Q and At, which is registered by the counting means I38 through gearing I36, I31, by taking into consideration a constant factor, so that there is thus counted and indicated the quantity of heat W. In addition, the throughput Q is transmitted by the exploration of gap do as the integral value 2 to the ratchet wheel I2I and thence by means of hollow shaft I06 and gearing A39, I 40 for registration on counting mechanism MI.

The instant valve of Q is furthermore transmitted by means of gear I08 to shaft I01 and indicated by the pointer I42, while the instant value of At is indicated by the pointer M3 which follows movements of gear I3I.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claim without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I claim is:

An integrating meter for thermal quantities comprising, in combination, two pair of relatively thin annular rings having inner cam surfaces thereon, said rings being so arranged along a common axis as to form two outer and inner rings in close juxtaposition to each other, rotating apparatus arranged on the common axis for rotating one outer ring in accordance with variations in the pressure of the heating medium so as to vary the angular relationship between the inner cam surfaces on the outer ring and its adjacent inner ring, a second rotating apparatus on the common axis for rotating said other outer ring in accordance with variations in a temperature differential in the heating medium so as to vary the angular relationship between the inner cam surfaces on the said other outer ring and its adjacent inner ring, a pair of relatively thin ratchet wheels concentrically located within the annular rings, said ratchet wheels being mounted for separate rotation on a common shaft, a constantly driven cam follower for the inner surfaces of the annular rings responsive to pressure changes, said follower adapted to move one of the ratchet wheels in accordance with the cam surfaces, a second cam follower for the inner cam surfaces of the other pair of annular rings said follower mounted on the ratchet wheel for the first-mentioned cam follower and moved only by movement of said ratchet wheel, indicating means coupled to the second-mentioned ratchet wheel for totalizing the movement of the ratchet wheel, and other indicating means coupled to the first-mentioned ratchet wheel for independently indicating the quantities measured by said ratchet wheel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,894,449 Sandvoss Jan. 17, 1933 1,912,420 Young June 6, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 586,614 Germany Oct. 24, 1933 612,841 Great Britain Nov. 18, 1948 662,464 Great Britain Dec. 5, 1951 

